Facing a $16M repair, Alaska’s ferry system will pull Malaspina out of service

It was pouring rain when the Malaspina docked in Juneau.
The Malaspina docked in Juneau in 2014. (Photo by Heather Bryant/KTOO)

The ferry Malaspina is being pulled out of service in December, and it’s not clear when it will return.

The 56-year-old Alaska Marine Highway System vessel will be stored in Ketchikan this January for an “unmanned, long-term layup,” according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

The ferry was scheduled for an overhaul over the winter, but an inspection showed it needs extensive steel replacement. Repairs are expected to cost about $16 million.

“… This is in excess of the available budget and cannot be completed at this time,” wrote Department of Transportation spokesperson Meadow Bailey in an email.

Bailey wrote that there won’t be any impact to the current sailing schedule. DOT hasn’t made any long-term decisions about the future of the vessel.

Rashah McChesney

Daily News Editor

I help the newsroom establish daily news priorities and do hands-on editing to ensure a steady stream of breaking and enterprise news for a local and regional audience.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications